


Run to You

by alkalinePessimist



Series: Counterpoint [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Nonbinary Character, Original Character(s), Other, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-05 16:33:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14048325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alkalinePessimist/pseuds/alkalinePessimist
Summary: B would never have thought their father would try to kill them.Now the twins' birthday is ruined, your hair is gone, and Thalia saw it all.Wonderful.





	Run to You

  
B never expected their father to go as far as telling them he wanted them dead as a newborn.

Sure, he holds a great deal of resentment for his youngest child, B knew that (they’ve known for years). But B never thought that he would have had it in him to threaten them publicly, then follow it up with an indisputable act of blasphemy.

B runs their fingers through their now short, uneven hair as they bolt through the stone corridor, messing up the loosening braids and letting the silver locks flutter across their face, but it only serves as a reminder of what they had lost. _You are not deserving of the gods’ blessings, bastard._ Tears well up in their eyes as they duck into their room, closing the door as firmly as they can behind them.

As the sobs begin wracking their frame, B becomes lightheaded quickly. With shaking hands, they tear at their silk formals, cloth falling to the floor in heaps as they scramble for the ties of their corset. Undoing the knots, B pulls the offending object from their body, leaving them in just their underclothes. They heave a deep breath and throw themself upon their four-poster bed to cry.

Thoughts keep popping up in the whirlwind of B’s mind, some standing out more than others. The fact they had ruined their siblings’ eighteenth birthday party, both the twins’ horrified looks as B had fled. Myrta, the younger twin by five minutes, had been entrapped by civil talk with a well-wishing member of the Fae Folk -- it’s never good to disrespect the Fae Folk -- and couldn’t do much of anything to divert their fathers’ aggressions. Thank the gods Dianna had swooped in to catch his attention, however guilty B feels about it now. At least their sisters’ selfless act had allowed B to escape.

There’s a knock on B’s door. “Your highness?” calls a deep, familiar voice through the wooden door. “Might I come in?”

B’s head snaps up towards the door, _Thalls_. B sits up so quickly one may assume they were struck by lightning, and glances at the looking glass propped upon their dresser across the room. Gods, they look _awful_. Blotchy complexion, brown eyes turned red with tear streaks visible on their face and dressed in naught but their underclothes, B makes a pretty picture of someone in the middle of a breakdown. They wipe the saltiness from their cheeks and run their thin fingers through their silver hair – now in tatters brushing lightly against their cheeks -- tearing their eyes away from the glass. _At least the embarrassed flush is evening out their blotchy complexion,_ B thinks. _This will have to do._

Taking a deep, centering breath and clearing their throat, B calls out, “You may enter.” Their voice quavers, no matter how much they fight to keep it steady. The latch on the door clanks and the hinges squeak a little as the door opens slowly.

“My apologies for the intrusion, My Layde,” the burly woman states, ducking into the room and shutting the door gently behind her, “but I… noticed you didn’t eat much at the celebration.” In her firm grip is a plate of food, still steaming, and a simple goblet.

B’s eyes widen a bit at the sight of their bodyguard -- who is not wearing her armor anymore, they note -- and their mind tenses at the mention of the _celebration_ and they try to hide their discomfort with a smile. “But, you had the night off…?” They tuck a strand of their wavy hair behind one ear (which immediately falls back on their face, seven _hells_ ) and hug themself with one arm. They’re grateful for Thalia’s arrival, her presence alone is proving to be a wonderful break in all the chaos their father had wrought. It’s difficult not to admire Thalia’s frame, it’s rarely ever exposed like this, especially with the candlelight catching on her hazel skin, casting shadows across her face and along the stone walls behind her.

“A Royal Guard never has a night off, your Highness.” Thalia smiles softly at B, breaking their string of thoughts, and holds the plate out to them. “Please eat?”

B’s chest tightens as they pull themself back down to reality. Right, of course. Dutiful to the very end. They nod and accept the plate and goblet, “Thank you, Thalia.”

Thalia’s deep blue eyes flash with worry for a moment, but it’s gone so fast B can’t tell if they imagined it or not. Still, it brings a bit of the edge back to their senses. They set the goblet down with a thud on their nightstand, eyes never straying from Thalia.

“Make sure you eat all of it, My Layde. I wouldn’t want you collapsing on me tomorrow during sparring practice.” Thalia’s lips twist her soft smile into a teasing one, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. She turns to leave, posture hunching a bit as she reaches for the door.

 _She’s leaving, oh nonono, please don’t leave me._ B’s knuckles turn white as they clamp their grip down hard on the plate. “Wait!”

Thalia stops in her tracks. “Yes, My Layde?” Thalia turns back to them, straight posture returning. She waits patiently for them to speak, her brow furrowed.

B curls in on themself, realizing they don’t have a valid reason for wanting Thalia to stay other than that her company would be greatly appreciated. “…I am also aware that you didn’t eat much either, would you, perhaps, like to join me?” B bites their lip, hoping beyond all hope she’ll stay with them. Thalia’s presence is always a comfort, ever since they were children, Thalia had always been right beside them.

Thalia’s face screws up in concentration. Oh, what B wouldn’t give to know what runs through her mind in times like these, when they request her presence alone, or when they ask her how their drawings look, or when Thalia gets really into rhythm with them in the sparring ring, or when B teases her about the silly design of her helmet which she has never worn. _Or when she had watched from across the Hall as their father had pulled a dagger and sliced their silver godsfaired hair away no don’t think about it-_

“I was going to eat in the kitchens, My Layde,” Thalia finally settles on.

B’s heart drops a little in their chest. “Ah, it is late. won’t the food be cold by now? Really, there’s a lot here, I wouldn’t be too put out if you stayed and shared it with me. Besides, we could always just…eat a big breakfast?” They bite their lip and look up at Thalia hopefully.

Thalia still looks unsure, but she must see the desperation hidden beneath B’s pleading façade, because her face softens after a moment, and she relents. “As you wish, My Layde.” She moves closer to B, hesitating for a moment until B pats the bed beside them, and carefully lowers herself down onto the furs.

B picks up a duck leg and sets the plate on the bed between the two of them. Thalia shifts as though she wants to say something, but instead, she simply picks up the other duck leg and bites into it.

“Thank you for staying, Thalia. I appreciate it. Tonight…tonight was a rough night.” B takes another bite of their duck and doesn’t look at Thalia.

“My apologies, My Layde,” Thalia says in between bites.

B smiles bitterly, “I don’t see why you’re apologizing, Thalia, it’s not your fault.”

She’s silent for a moment, then quietly, she responds, “I am sorry I didn’t stay by your side. I am aware how much you dislike… _family_ gatherings, My Layde.”

B flushes, “The twins kept me out of most of the cold glares and threatening talks my father oh so graciously likes to bestow upon me. Especially when mother’s got him drinking with her. However, tonight…” B takes in a shuddering breath before they shove the leg into their mouth and vigorously rip off another piece of flesh in attempt to stop the tirade before they begin.

“Tonight, he took it much too far.” Thalia insists. “It’s all the more reason I should’ve stayed with you, My Layde.” she brings the leg down from her mouth and stares worriedly at B.

B avoids eye contact and chews for a moment, Thalls continuing to stare at them, growing more uneasy by the moment. B swallows and sighs softly, “It’s all right, Thalls.” She looks unconvinced. B purses their lips, and adds, “Besides, you’re here now, aren’t you?” They look up shyly though their hair at Thalia, who in turn is failing to hide her own shocked expression.

“My Layde…?” Thalia attempts to come up with a response, but is clearly thrown off by the nickname.

B inhales through their nose, _ha_ , she’s flustered. With their heart in their throat, they continue. “You know, _Thalls_ ,” B says, leaning in conspiratorially. “You don’t have to refer to me by titles when we’re alone. B is fine, preferable actually. You used to do it all the time.” Oh, if the twins could see B now, the both of them had been egging them on to finally say something to Thalia mere hours before their party, and here B is, actually doing it! Giddiness bubbles up through B’s chest, making them warm in their body and light in their head.

“I…” Thalia’s eyes are darting around B’s sparse room. Suddenly, the novelty of flirting with their crush turns on its head and their heart drops into their stomach, and the blood in their veins runs cold.

Intrusive thoughts begin to plague B’s mind; _Perhaps I’ve miscalculated, and she doesn’t actually want…._ B’s face turns red for an entirely different reason, and they set the drumstick down. They can practically hear their sister’s reaction in their mind, _Oh my gods, B, she comes to you with an incredibly sweet gesture in attempt to comfort you after father basically told you that you should’ve DIED as a newborn, gods be damned, and mutilated you in order to ‘spare everyone the pain’ not twenty minutes before, and you chose THIS MOMENT to start flirting?? She almost certainly missed your point and thinks you want to take her into your bed to be used as a distraction, you idiot!_

B inhales sharply and turns their head away, luckily there’s just enough remaining silver hair to fall as a curtain between Thalia’s face and their own. Ashamed, they say timidly, “I’m sorry if that was too forward, you’re probably very uncomfortable, I…” They trail off and bury their face in their hands. “If you wish to go you may.”

There is shuffling from where Thalia is perched on their bed. B doesn’t look up, expecting to hear the door closing at any moment. _Gods, they feel as though they’re going to begin crying all over again._

Instead, they hear a soft _clunk_ of the plate being set on the nightstand, and suddenly there are large calloused hands curling around their wrists, thumbs rubbing circles into the backs of their hands.

“My L-. B. Look at me please?” B stiffens at their name but shakes their head. Gods, this was a stupid idea- “B, look at me, darling. It’s okay, I can call you by your name if you wish.” Thalia pleads. B peeks through their fingers at her, kneeling down in front of them.

“I’m sorry, B, I wasn’t sure if you were being serious or simply teasing me, I… I’ve never really been sure when you do things like this.”

B sniffles. “Thalls, I’ve always been sincere when it comes to you.”

Thalia inhales, “That’s reassuring to know, My- B. But, what about your father? I’m not so sure he’d approve of…” Thalia trails off, the both of them know how it ends.

“No matter what I do, I will never be worthy in his eyes. It doesn’t matter that I’ve been ‘blessed by the gods’, I’m only a sore spot, a reminder that grows on him each year the twins’ mother remains vacant.” B lets their hands fall and their watery eyes meet Thalia’s gorgeous deep brown ones.

Thalia’s face grows into one of sorrow, and she raises B’s hands to her lips and kisses them. “Blessed by the gods, who cares if you were blessed by the bloody gods, and who cares if that old bastard king can’t get over betraying his wife before she disappeared? You will always be worthy in my eyes, B. And the twins know this too.” She looks so _earnest_ in this proclamation, it’s tearing B to shreds.

B lets out a long breath they didn’t realize they were holding in and a few tears fall from their eyes. They lean down until their forehead meets Thalia’s, and they chuckle. “I’m sorry, Thalls, I’m falling apart on you.”

Thalia smiles warmly at them. “I don’t mind at all, B.”

B closes their eyes and breathes deeply through their nose, letting the moment sink in. Weariness begins to work its way into their bones, and they begin to slump down onto Thalia’s lap. She chuckles as B buries their face in her shoulder, hand coming up to gently brush through their feathery hair.

“Now, I realize it was sacrilege and all,” Thalia begins, and B sits back up to stare at her, but before they can say anything she continues, “but you look really good with this hairstyle. It suits you.” She smiles widely at B, and swipes a strand of B’s hair out of their shocked face.

“Wh-” B’s mind stutters trying to process the sentiment, “Well I…”

Thalia chuckles and pulls them back into her warm embrace. “You’re cute when you’re flustered, B.”

Still with no response, B lets themself be drawn back in, relaxing as Thalia begins rubbing their back in small circular motions. Now, all B wished for was to rest. It had been a long, brutally honest and emotional night (not to mention traumatic?). The only thing they could want at this moment is to curl up in bed with the lovely woman holding them now. All they needed was a safe, comforting presence to lull them to sleep.

They only hoped Thalia would be agreeable to the idea.

B leans away, slower this time, and inquires softly, “Spend the night?”

Thalia’s eyebrows raise, but she grins and nods. “Oh course, B.” she assures, loosening her grip on them.

B stands and slips under the furs covering their bed, sliding over as Thalia pulls her boots off and walks around the room putting out candles.

B grins sleepily as Thalia blows out the candle on the nightstand and crawls into bed after them. She shuffles over and immediately pulls B’s body in close, arm curling around their waist. B buries their face into Thalia’s collarbone and breathes deeply, all worries of the night slipping from their mind as Thalia entwine their legs together.  
  
Whatever repercussions await them come morning, they’ll stand strong, as long as Thalls stays right by their side. 


End file.
